Enda Kenny said that Mr McCabe had been vindicated in his search for justice and said he had "no problem" saying sorry for the delay in addressing the whistleblower's concerns.

Mr Kenny said he has already spoken of the right for people to bring issues to public notice and added: "In that regard I've no problem apologising to Sgt McCabe for the issues that he raised and for the fact that his raising these matters was not dealt with more speedily in the first instance."

The Garda watchdog, the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), is to be given stronger powers and an oversight body is to review how detectives run serious crime investigations as part of efforts to restore integrity in the justice system.

The Garda Inspectorate will carry out a comprehensive review into serious crime investigation, management, operational and procedural issues in the force following the Guerin report, while a new independent garda authority is due to be set up by the end of the year.

Newly-appointed Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald revealed the commitments and said: "This spectrum of issues is complex and deep-rooted ranging from high-level issues such as oversight, change management and the role of whistle-blowers; to local administration and internal communication; to matters of basic policing, performance and human resources.

"It requires comprehensive and sustained corrective action. And that's what will happen."

A new Garda Commissioner will also be installed by 2015, following Martin Callinan's exit on March 25.

The Guerin review did not determine the veracity of Sgt McCabe's allegations of malpractice and rogue policing in several investigations at the Bailieboro station where he was posted.

But it vindicated his claim that there were concerns over how they were handled including complaints inadequately acted on into an attempted rape, child abduction, false imprisonment of a girl and child pornography.

An eight week review of the claims found that no official body was prepared to accept the word of the highly regarded officer.

In a statement after the Cabinet discussed the hard-hitting report, Ms Fitzgerald said many of the grave issues examined were the subject of previous reports, particularly the Morris tribunal into bad policing in Co Donegal in the 1990s.

TD Frances Fitzgerald (Image: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos)

Its shocking assessment of the quality of policing and culture of the force were intended to be addressed with the formation of the Garda Ombudsman and calls for whistleblower legislation.

Ms Fitzgerald said the terms of reference for the statutory inquiry into the McCabe affair have yet to be finalised.

"The Guerin report raises many serious concerns in relation to professional standards, training, supervision of probationary Gardai, local management of the force and many more issues," the minister said.

"It is absolutely essential that we need to act on the findings of the Guerin report in relation to basic policing and day-to-day management of the force at district level.

"With all the focus on high level matters, we must not lose sight of the need to address these basic policing matters."

A special Cabinet committee, chaired by the Taoiseach and focusing on reform of the justice system, will meet next week to progress the Government proposals.

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach also raised the abduction and murder case of Jean McConville in the Dail today.

He said that there was: "Information about her abduction and the ordering of her execution is available."

Mr Kenny also said that a campaign was underway to say that the Boston Tapes are not real or authentic.